Yahoo Lifestyle Review: Manly Pavilion
Though it was only 4pm, Manly Pavilion was, quite literally, Packed to the Rafters. Most popular Rafter Rebecca Gibney sat at a large central table, laughing and gesticulating wildly with a group of friends. By the looks of it, the party had been there quite some time and were very much enjoying the sunny afternoon and sunny service.
A magazine personality sat in a back corner table with a bunch of girlfriends and a huge bunch of balloons. We could easily see why the newly refurbished Paviliion was their Saturday afternoon destination of choice.
Elegant, sophisticated (it’s won a swag of awards for its cool interiors design) but also perched right on top of the water and boasting one of Sydney’s most spectacular views, the restaurant/bar has quickly become one of the harbour city’s hottest places to be seen. Places like Manly Pavilion and Hugo’s Bar Pizza are certainly helping break Sydney’s north/east divide.
RECIPE: Lemon with pistachio sponge and yoghurt sorbetti
A fast ferry ride from Circular Quay ($8.50 pp each way) was in itself a glorious way to spend a 28 degree Saturday afternoon. After sauntering around the boardwalk before being seated at an outdoor table so close to the water it gave us the sense we were on a cruise ship, our Manly Pavilion visit started to feel like a mini holiday not just a lazy afternoon drink and bite.
Service also felt decidedly non-pretentious – Manly Pavilion somehow masters the art of fusing relaxed casual with upmarket sophistication.
The wine list arrived and we were quickly overwhelmed. Luckily a very impressive sommelier (Sam) was on hand to help us navigate the seriously dense list, with its varietals from Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and just about everywhere in between. We just wanted a nice crisp, dry Riesling: Sam recommended Best’s from Great Western Victoria, an excellent spot-on citrus-based choice. We were also pleased to find Sam’s suggestion was actually one of the most reasonably priced vinos available.
Thirsts quenched, it was on to the menu. Chef Jonathan Barthelmess (who worked at Coast under Steve Manfredi) has put together a pretty impressive array of Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Barthelmess draws on his Greek heritage to create food with a strong Italian character (but with a twist, given his time spent cultivating Asian cooking skills as sous chef at MuShu Sydney). He also, as an aside, knows how to cut a piece of meat (my dad, a cattle breeder, would be very impressed)– his family are butchers by trade.
RECIPE: Salad of cuttlefish, eggplant, fennel and oregano
We’re always intrigued about the story behind the chef creating our dishes, but at the end of the day it’s the food that has the final say. And talk to us it did. We sat in the walk summer breeze deliberating long enough over the merits of shared appetisers versus choosing individual dishes like the delectably cheesy sounding risotto for the waitress to come over with a suggestion: how about we try a mini degustation of chef’s choice? (*A tasting menu featuring highlights from the a la carte menu is available from $98 per person).
Hoorah!
Tasting plates to tickle the taste buds
‘White anchovy herb crumbed with tomato aioli’ were crispy little morsels of delight, while the plump oysters were full of flavour (both from the ‘Stuzzichini’ list).
A unique dish of ‘Ash cured ocean trout, celery ragu and bagna cauda’ had my partners eyes popping out of his head with delight. The little orange slivers of fish were delicate and the light smoke on the outside was an interesting twist – for some reason the celery ragu just set the whole flavour sensation alight. ‘Beetroot agrodolce, yoghurt and pine cone dressing’ was next. After the last three dishes, each one better than the last, we were a little unsure about this one. Creamy and crimson we were thankful neither of us were wearing white. I was wondering whether we might be served up the ‘Crisp pig’s tail, toasted bread and mushroom salad’ next, but much to my relief and my partner’s chagrin it was ‘Warm buffalo mozzarella, tomato and basil dressing’. Wow, what a dish. So simple in its combination, so fresh, natural and delectable in its taste. The warmth of the mozzarella meant it oozed and melted in our mouths. Within seconds there was nothing but gleaming remnants of olive oil remaining in our bowls. This one was definitely a winner.
Next up a true homestyle morsel of pasta with a twist. The ‘homemade shell pasta with braised rabbit, onions and olives’ arrived with tiny little pieces of perfectly formed pasta infused with light but full-of-flavour rabbit and flecked through with black olives. The rabbit had us divided but there was no denying the taste.
RECIPE: Grilled scampi, celery and bagna cauda
The finale was the dish we’d been waiting for: ‘Ricotta gnocchi, truffle pecorino and brown butter’. The caramel hue dribble down my partner’s chin as the dish was quickly gobbled up was testament to the perfection of this dish. There was a pause long enough to contemplate whether there was a smidge too much pepper, but the verdict was clearly immaterial.
Palates stimulated, senses aroused and bellies full, we waddled back along the water to the ferry wharf, the 30 minute ride back into the city long enough for us to reflect on a perfect evening. Clearly the Packed to the Rafters crowd were onto a good thing.
